Shepherd In The Shadows

MARTIN LUTHER ONCE COMMENTED THAT, "FAITH IS A MATTER OF PERSONAL PRONOUNS." IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS ONE THING TO SAY "THE LORD IS A SHEPHERD"; BUT QUITE ANOTHER THING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD."

THE IMAGE OF THE SHEPHERD HAS PROVIDED US WITH MANY LOVING AND PROTECTIVE IMAGES OF CAREGIVING. JUST THE WORD ITSELF CARRIES WITH IT THOUGHTS OF SECURITY, ATTENTION, AND PROVISION FOR THOSE UNDER THE SHEPHERD’S WATCH.

WHETHER ONE IS A CHRISTIAN OR NOT, THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM HAS BEEN A “GO-TO” SOURCE OF COMFORT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE OVER THE AGES DURING THE UNCERTAIN, CHALLENGING, AND DARK TIMES OF LIVING LIFE IN THIS FALLEN WORLD.

THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THIS PSALM WAS WRITTEN. IN A VERY TROUBLED TIME IN DAVID’S LIFE, HE NEEDED TO REMIND HIMSELF THAT GOD WAS STILL THERE WITH HIM. AFTER ALL, HERE HE WAS, THE KING, LIVING IN EXILE AND IN FEAR WHILE RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE FROM OF ALL PEOPLE…HIS OWN SON, ABSALOM, WHO WANTED TO KILL HIM AND TAKE HIS THRONE.

WE TOO, CAN FIND RELIEF AND COMFORT IN REMEMBERING GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR US. IT IS AN INCREDIBLE JOY FOR US TO KNOW THAT IF GOD IS WITH US IN THE “SHADOWS OF DEATH,” THEN HE WILL ALSO CARE ENOUGH TO BE WITH US, EVEN AMONGST ALL THE SCATTERED REMNANTS OF EVERY DAY LIVING.

THE PSALMIST DESCRIBES A GOD WHO LEADS, RESTORES, AND GUIDES US WITH HIS ROD AND HIS STAFF. DAVID IS REMINDING US OF GOD’S COMFORTING PRESENCE AND PROTECTION. HE IS TELLING US THAT BELIEVERS ARE NEVER IN SITUATIONS THE LORD IS NOT AWARE OF, FOR HE NEVER ABANDONS HIS PEOPLE. HEBREWS 13:5, “I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.”

THE SHEPHERD’S ROD, MUCH LIKE A POLICE OFFICER’S “NIGHT STICK,” WAS USED AS A DEFENSIVE WEAPON TO WARD OFF THEIVES AND WILD ANIMALS THAT POSED A THREAT TO THE SHEEP. THE ROD WAS A WAY TO PROTECT THE SHEEP FROM OTHER THINGS.

THE STAFF, MUCH LIKE A LONG BROOM HANDLE WITH A HOOK ON THE END, WAS USED TO "CATCH" OR "GRAB HOLD" OF THE SHEEP TO STOP THEM WHEN THEY WERE NEARING DANGER OR HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. THE STAFF WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE SHEEP FROM THEMSELVES.

THIS COMFORTING IMAGERY OF THE SHEPHERD WAS TO GIVE US THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S CONSTANT VIGILANCE, HIS PERSONAL PRESENCE, STRONG DEFENSE, AND PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE LIVES OF HIS SHEEP.

THIS DISCRIPTION PROVIDES FOR US ONE OF THE GREATEST BLESSINGS WHICH IS TO KNOW THAT WE WILL NEVER FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE THE LORD IS NOT PRESENT OR AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR LIVES.

THIS IS WHY WE CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY IN HEBREWS 13:6, THAT "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, SO I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT CAN MERE MORTALS DO TO ME?"

WE CAN TAKE THE GOOD NEWS WITH US TODAY BY SIMPLY REMEMBERING THAT GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US. NOTHING ESCAPES HIS WATCHFUL PRESENCE. HE IS NEVER CAUGHT OFF GUARD. GOD IS A LOVING FATHER WHO IS EVER VIGILANT AND ATTENTIVE.

LIKE THE SHEEP IN THIS PSALM, MAYBE WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES WALKING IN THOSE SHADOWS A TIME OR TWO. THE HEBREW IMAGERY OF SHADOWS IN THIS PSALM INDICATES TIMES OF TOTAL DARKNESS. IN FACT, THE TRUE MEANING OF THE STATEMENT “SHADOW OF DEATH” IN VERSE 4 SHOULD BE ACTUALLY TRANSLATED “DEEP DARKNESS” OR “DEADLY GLOOM.”

IT SPEAKS NOT JUST OF FACING THE TRANSITION THROUGH PHYSICAL DEATH, BUT WHAT APPEARS TO BE THOSE DARK PLACES IN LIFE. WE CAN FACE THOSE PERILOUS TIMES, FACE EVEN DEATH, AND EVIL ITSELF BECAUSE OF THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE.

THIS IS WHY DAVID COULD BOLDLY PROCLAIM, “I WILL FEAR NO EVIL!” THE HEBREW WORD FOR EVIL IS A BROAD TERM FOR ANY KIND OF HARM OR DANGER THAT MAY COME. GOD, OUR FATHER, GIVES US THE ASSURANCE WE DON’T NEED TO FEAR DEATH NOR BE AFRAID OF LIFE BECAUSE OUR SHEPHERD IS WATCHING OVER US.

THE SAME WAS TRUE FOR THE SHEEP OF DAVID’S FLOCK. THE SHEEP FREQUENTLY HAD TO GO THROUGH THE DARKEST PART OF THE VALLEY, THE LOWEST PART, WHERE THE SUN DID NOT SHINE, IN ORDER TO GET TO GREENER PASTURES.

THEY HAD TO TRUST THE SHEPHERD WHOSE PRESENCE TRUMPED THEIR FEARS AND BROKE THEIR TEMPTATION TO CUT OUT, SCATTER AND RUN IN A STATE OF PANIC OR CONFUSION.

THIS DARK SHADOW OF THE VALLEY THAT REPRESENTS THE THREAT OF DEATH AND THE DARKNESS OF EVIL PORTRAYS THE OTHER SIDE OF REALITY THAT LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS EASY OR FAIR.

THE PASTURES ARE SOMETIMES BLACK AND BARREN INSTEAD OF GREEN. THE WATERS ARE SOMETIMES DEEP AND TORRENTIAL INSTEAD OF PEACEFUL AND DRINKABLE.

BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT TYPE OF SITUATION DAVID FOUND HIMSELF, HE KNEW THAT GOD WAS WITH HIM THROUGH IT ALL. HOW DO WE KNOW GOD WAS WITH HIM?